This invention relates to sports and more particularly to a device suitable for assisting in the teaching of a proper batting swing.
In the game of baseball, one of the most difficult techniques to teach a player is the proper swing with the bat. The proper swing with a bat, according to Ted Williams (who is a Baseball Hall of Fame member, an acknowledged batting expert and the last man to finish a baseball season with a batting average in excess of 0.400), is a level swing substantially parallel to the ground, but with a slight uppercut so that the first level portion of the swing is at one height and the second level portion of the swing is at a slightly higher level in relation to the ground. At the same time the bat remains substantially parallel to the ground. This concept is extremely difficult to explain and teach. It is, therefore, desirable to have a method or device which assists in the training of the appropriate swing.
Such a batting swing is difficult to teach because it must at times be coordinated with a pitched ball. The batter must learn to time his swing with the pitch while at the same time remembering the proper technique of the slight uppercut-type swing. If a device can be developed to teach the fundamentals of a slight uppercut swing, the situation in teaching can be greatly simplified.
Thus, it becomes desirable to develop a device to assist in teaching. Some devices, known as tees, exist to teach a batting swing. These tees, however, consist only of a base and a stand secured thereto for the purpose of holding a ball--whether it be a hard ball or a soft ball. Such a tee provides no indication whatever of whether the correct slight uppercut-type swing has been achieved. It is difficult to teach a slight uppercut-type swing with such a tee.
Thus, it becomes abundantly clear that a device is needed to assist in such teaching of the desired uppercut-type swing.